A/N: Hello there, I'll have to apologirze beforehand for this chapter. I'm not exactly the best at 'world-building' but wanted to put out enough info of the capital of Elderon so you guys knew a little bit about it. I didn't try to get into too much detail, but hopefully it was enough for you guys to get some idea. I didn't think it was too bad, but I still decided to give you guys a longer chapter to make up for it. Hope you enjoy

Hundreds of birds flew over the sprawling capital of the Kingdom of Elderon below. The city was surrounded by a just as extensive wall that towered well over a hundred feet. But that was just the first wall, a second and third wall separated the slums and normal residential area from the more affluent areas of the city. As the walls got closer to the center of the city, the height of the walls decreased by a third of the previous one. The walls that surrounded the city protected from invasions, both foreign and domestic.

Most of the hustle and bustle of the capital, Fendrel – named after the royal bloodline’s family name – occurred in the less affluent parts of town. Markets and stalls persuaded people to take a look and haggling would ensue for items of poor quality, yet these were the only things they knew they could afford. Dust was in constant upheaval due to the movement on the main dirt roads that ran throughout the district.

During times of hardship, some would look at the walls shorter walls with hope and admiration, but most looked at it with jealousy and anger. Most of the people of the capital lived in this area known as the Outer District, nicknamed the Slums. The Outer District housed an estimated two hundred thousand people and spanned roughly half a mile from the outer wall to the second wall. About half of the people in the Outer District were poor enough to live out on the streets or in deep poverty, but the other half are usually small-time business owners and low-ranking knights. Buildings were built close to each other in order to maximize space, and gave off a poor and cramped feeling. Many of the wooden buildings were so close that small alleyways were numerous the entire district. 

Major brothels were also located in the Outer District, where the profession was more accepted. Many in the slums were also slaves of all different races, who were usually forced to work as prostitutes and laborers. People of all kind could be seen frequenting these places, even in broad daylight.

The major guilds were also found here, such as the Adventurer’s Guild. But each guild was not a part of a kingdom’s power but independent group. And each country understood their roles and did not dare to abuse the power in fear of losing business with them, which were always a good source of a state’s tax haul.

On the other side of the second wall, the wealthy avoided looking towards the Outer District as if that part of the city never existed, an obvious dissonance between the two sides. Cobbled roads, cafes and fancy stores stood out on the sides of streets, enticing customers with looks of luxury rather than words. Buildings were much larger and better spaced out in order to give the people more privacy and a sense of wealth. 

This area of the capital was known as the Noble’s District. Although not all were nobles, all of the residents had enough money to live there and still support their lifestyles. A few hundred wealthy citizens resided in the Noble’s District, all with varying power and wealth. The Noble’s District was also had slaves. Slaves were identified by their collars around their neck and their ownership was given with magic and thought to be unbreakable. It was common for many of the Noble’s District residents to compare wealth and power by the number of slaves and paid-servants one had.

The deeper one went into the Noble’s District, the larger the homes and less populated it became. The reason why the name, Noble’s District, was used, the top nobles living in the capital lived here. Although most of the important nobles lived here, some were in charge of their own territories within the Kingdom and chose not live in the capital.

In the center of the city, a large building stood inside of the third wall. The land around the castle leading up to the wall was by no means small either, a half mile in diameter. The land was large enough that multiple military barracks and a large cathedral took residence in the area around the castle like building. Men shuffled in and out of the dull grey barracks. Most were dressed in their full armor of various quality, showing their differing ranks and posts. Sounds of metal clashing resounded as men trained in the fields.

Singing and chanting echoed throughout the elegant cathedral. Its white walls made it difficult to look directly at the cathedral and the stained-glass windows showed a single figure acting out multiple scenes. Men and occasionally women dressed in white scurried about. Churches and temples smaller in size were plentiful throughout each section of the city, but this cathedral represented the main headquarters within the kingdom.

An expansive castle stood in the center of the entire city. Although, not the type of stone castle most would think of, but a mansion with castle-like qualities with towers, guard posts, etc. It seemed as if the cost of that very mansion could buy the entire capital. Hundreds of ornate glass windows covered the light red building, showing off its luxury. The castle was filled with palace guards and servants, each one seemingly busy.

~ * ~

A man dressed in regal attire stood atop one of the several balconies overlooking the city beneath. He had a rather young looking face that was neither handsome nor ugly. But his brown hair streaked with gray hinted at his true age being older than he looked. On his head, he wore a golden crown covered in jewels of all different colors that matched well with his lightly tanned skin.

A knock on the door broke the man’s concentration, “Enter.”

“Your highness, the guards have retrieved the elf, Everard, as you’ve requested. They are awaiting your arrival in the throne room. The queen and princess are currently there as well.” A well-aged man dressed like a butler entered informing the king, often called the Fool's Gold King by the people and even most of his retainers.

Although called the Fool's Gold King behind his back, he was not entirely unintelligent. The current king had a penchant for satisfying his own desires and used his power as king to do so, even to the dismay of the people. As a spoiled only son of the late King Grayson, he had received whatever he desired and only got worse as he gained power. King Rainier had a thirst for wealth and power, and that usually came at the expense of the people of his kingdom. He had a knack for pretending to be working for the people, but most knew of his selfish antics, thus earning him the name Fool's Gold King.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Without so much as a glance, the king answered, “I will meet them at once.” The butler opened the door and bowed, allowing the king to go first. The butler soon followed at a respectable distance.

The two men walked through a large indoor corridor, furnished with luxurious goods and carpeted with a golden silk rug that ran throughout all of the indoor corridors of the castle. Large brown double doors covered in detailed carvings awaited the two. A maid stood by with her head down and the door opened for the king to enter. Upon entering the throne room, a spacious, but barely furnished room greeted the king. He climbed up a few steps towards the larger of two golden thrones at one end of the room. On the smaller throne was a woman with a pretty face and black hair that ran down to her back. She appeared to be slightly younger than the king, but not by much as evidenced by the small wrinkles on her face. She also wore a crown, albeit less lavish than the king’s. Next to her, stood a beautiful teenage girl with a petite face, slim figure and curly light-brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Both women wore elegant dresses with intricate designs sewn onto them. She had a worried look on her face, seemingly as if on the verge of tears.

As the king sat down on his throne, he looked down on his visitor and smiled. He had a stature that attempted to show his authority, but was not overly intimidating. “Well done gentlemen. I appreciate your hard work in apprehending the culprit. Answer me elf, why did you force yourself onto my daughter, a princess nonetheless?”

A swollen face looked up from his forced-down position, his arms held back by two men in bronze armor, “King Rainier, your daughter and I love each oth–”

The king, leaning forward, slammed his fist onto the armrest, “SILENCE! I know that you tricked my beloved daughter to sleep with you! Do not think you could trick me with your words. There is no such thing as love between an elf and royalty! And do not dare speak so casually with me, such insolence will not be tolerated. Now speak only the truth.” The king leaned back and the face of his daughter visibly worsened at his words.

“Your highness, I’m sure it would be greatly beneficial for the royal family of Fendrel and the royal family of Ashdell. If you would just please listen, your daughter and I, we truly do love each other. I am sure my father would be very happy at the thought our union!” The well-built elf prince, popular for his looks and brains, knew he had been defeated. Usually too intelligent to let something like this happen, his romance with the princess had blinded him long enough to get caught. He knew they could not kill him, but he didn’t know how far they would go.

He would have to play the fool so as to not anger the king, Everard thought.

The king could only stare incredulously, “You believe that I care for a worthless elf?” He scoffed at the mere idea. “Elves believe themselves to be above a human, but you are poorly mistaken young elf. You have no position here, nor anywhere on this side of the continent. You are a mere subhuman and do not understand the station in which elves belong. I am the one that allowed you to study at the royal palace. Yet, you have not only made a mockery of me and my family, but to the human race as well!” Rainier spit the last sentence vehemently, veins bulged in his neck.

“Gawayn, Erec.” Two guards wearing full golden armor, signifying their position as the elite group known as the royal guards, came forward and knelt in front of the king.

He quickly gave out his orders, “Take the elf to the prison and torture him for vulnerabilities within the Elven Kingdom, but do not kill him. Get a priest to heal his wounds before each session starts again. Tell no one of his whereabouts. He cannot be found and we cannot afford to go to war with the Elves.” Yet.

“Yes, your highness.”

Although a large and economically thriving nation, mostly in part to the well governed cities throughout the kingdom, the Elves equally as dangerous in that regard, if not more so. There affinity for magic always posed a problem for anyone who trifled with them. But Elderon’s military numbers was nothing to scoff at either.

“No! Father, please believe Eve! We really do love each other.” The young princess ran down towards the elf lunging forward to embrace him, only to be stopped by royal guards, Gawayn and Erec. She started crying, pleading for her father’s forgiveness for Everard, but Rainier only looked at the girl with pity.

I can’t believe she had already come up with a nickname for the elf prince. She would have to be married to another kingdom soon, in order to maximize her use, he thought sadly, though not for his daughter’s sake.

“No one is to speak a word about this. Guards, confine Aria in her room for today, she is not allowed to leave the palace grounds nor allowed to speak to anyone but the queen and I. Do not let her out of your sight outside of her room. And inform my son of the current situation. Everyone may now leave.”

The king eyed the elf prince as he was led out of the throne room. He questioned if the rumors were true of his intelligence after watching him go without a struggle.

The queen looked on with sure acceptance. She loved her daughter, but the queen had grown too accustomed to wealth and power. She wanted the Elven Kingdom’s wealth for the family, and although a by-product, she knew that her husband was doing what needed to be done in order to achieve it. She would buy her children the best wealth can offer and make the royal family, the envy of other royalty. She could already feel the elven necklace grace her neck and the added luxury to their food. Her eyes glazed over at the thought of the chests full of clothes and accessories.

Why bother to stop there? Who could stop her from buying an entire kingdom for their future vacations?

Her daughter would be grateful once this was all over, she was sure of it: Money will always buy happiness.